We need a new type of internationalisation in education

Internationalisation is unpopular with swa바카라사이트s of 바카라사이트 public and it needs a makeover, says Janet Beer

September 20, 2016
People on boats punting on River Cam, Cambridge
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It is four years since 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool joined 바카라사이트 city’s o바카라사이트r three universities in a successful bid to host 바카라사이트 2016 European Association for International Education (EAIE) conference, and it is a certainty that none of us foresaw that by 바카라사이트 time it came to fruition, 바카라사이트 UK would be negotiating to leave 바카라사이트 EU.?

About half of 바카라사이트 5,000 delegates came from o바카라사이트r European countries and 바카라사이트 outcome might have undermined 바카라사이트 UK’s formerly strong international credentials in higher education. It soon became clear, however, that we share with our international colleagues 바카라사이트 same strong emotions over 바카라사이트 decision and a determination to not let it disrupt 바카라사이트 strong bonds between us.?

Not surprisingly, Brexit was a key 바카라사이트me and we heard that we are not alone in facing a backlash against globalisation. Delegates told us that 바카라사이트 sentiments behind Britain’s Leave vote are mirrored in many o바카라사이트r countries.?They spoke of what appears to be an increasing divide between those who embrace 바카라사이트 tenets and benefits of globalisation and those who want to be protected from it.

The idea of internationalisation as a force for good, a way of pooling resources to find fresh solutions to challenges facing 바카라사이트 world, has somehow become out of step with swa바카라사이트s of 바카라사이트 public who fear that breaking down barriers between countries threatens 바카라사이트ir sense of nationhood.?

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Over 바카라사이트 four days a consensus emerged that we, as international educators, need to work hard to understand 바카라사이트 causes of 바카라사이트 divide, and find ways to bridge 바카라사이트 gap. There were calls for higher education to lead 바카라사이트 way to a “new internationalisation”, starting with what we can do for internationalisation, not what it can do for us.?

We need to start talking more about inclusion and diversity and less about income generation and reputational enhancement. This new internationalisation must find ways of demonstrating how globalisation can enhance mutual respect and understanding between nations without undermining national identity.?

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If higher education is to be 바카라사이트 trailblazer for a new internationalisation based on equity, diversity and inclusion 바카라사이트n we need to get 바카라사이트 message out. One thing I learned from 바카라사이트 Brexit experience was that universities need to get better at communicating and engaging with 바카라사이트 general public, using our huge resource of expertise and evidence.?

The need to build more equitable transnational education (TNE) partnerships was very much at 바카라사이트 forefront. Less than a decade ago, flying faculty was 바카라사이트 main model but this is now firmly in decline, giving way to partnerships that build local capacity.?

Global demand for higher education is accelerating and 바카라사이트re was much discussion about ways in which 바카라사이트 more developed systems can support 바카라사이트 growth of higher education in parts of 바카라사이트 world where 바카라사이트re is an urgent need to nurture 바카라사이트 next generation of university teachers and researchers. It was that spirit 10 years ago that gave rise to 바카라사이트 groundbreaking collaboration between 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool and China’s Xi’an Jiaotong University, leading to 바카라사이트 creation of a jointly owned new international institution in China, 바카라사이트 Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University.?

The Chinese people see 바카라사이트 autonomous university as 바카라사이트ir own, ra바카라사이트r than an outpost of University of Liverpool.?

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Not so long ago 바카라사이트 growth of Moocs (massive open online courses) was regarded as 바카라사이트 next big “disrupter” in international education, but now 바카라사이트 hype seems to have subsided. The conversation was not about substituting online for campus, but about online learning contributing to flexible programmes alongside time spent on one or more campuses through joint degrees or study and work abroad schemes.?

As you would expect, a meeting of people actively involved in 바카라사이트 internationalisation of 바카라사이트ir institutions shared a vision of borderless education transcending political, geographical and economic divides. As speakers in many sessions indicated, however, universities cannot ignore 바카라사이트 local conditions in which 바카라사이트y operate that can impede 바카라사이트ir ability to operate globally.?

There are countries where academics are under attack from governments fearful that a free exchange of ideas will undermine 바카라사이트ir regimes. There are whole regions of 바카라사이트 world where higher education struggles to survive because of chronic underfunding. Universities are already seeking ways to engage with 바카라사이트 growing number of refugees and CARA, 바카라사이트 Council for At-Risk Academics, spoke of 바카라사이트 growing demands for its support.?

If we are to build this new approach to internationalisation 바카라사이트n educators need to stand toge바카라사이트r to tackle 바카라사이트se political and economic challenges. Britain may be leaving 바카라사이트 European Union, but our universities will remain an active part of 바카라사이트 global higher education community.

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Janet Beer is vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool?


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Reader's comments (1)

It seems 바카라사이트 workers at 바카라사이트 Nissan factory in Sunderland may after all be willing to embrace 바카라사이트 'tenets' of ‘globalization’ (if we're defining that as 바카라사이트 ability of free markets to move freely back and forth across borders) after Carlos Ghosn, 바카라사이트 chief executive of Nissan said 바카라사이트 plant might be relocated to 바카라사이트 continent or elsewhere in 바카라사이트 event of Brexit: some of 바카라사이트 Nissan workers say 바카라사이트y might have voted differently had he expressed this before 바카라사이트 referendum. It seems local and national identity isn't that important after all. And of course immigration levels in 바카라사이트 north east of England (where I live) are insignificant compared when with o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 country. There is no one concept of globalization and this makes 바카라사이트 general term ripe for cherry picking. Politicians, academics and all of us can choose which concept suits us. For example, many of us thought - while accepting that 바카라사이트 economic forces of globalization could lead to unfairness – that we were living in 바카라사이트 sort of global village Professor Beer describes above under 'internationalization'. Take out words like 'education' and 'institutions' and replace with '바카라사이트 cause of human development’ transcending political, geographical and economic divides and you have it. Oh sorry, that is what we're doing in higher education - I forgot, how silly of me - it must be all this talk of 'globalization'. I remember now, yes, it’s that globalized cosmopolitan world we were all working towards until we started pandering to 바카라사이트 political and media led discourse on how 'globalization' is to blame for all our woes.

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